Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 450 i Deals On Wheels Australia

Bauer Media Group’s digital truck and bus classifieds network posted a record combined unique audience (UA) of 225,638 in December 2019 – up 30 per cent year-on-year (YoY), according to Nielsen Digital Content Ratings (DCR) data. This compares with Trucksales.com.au’s UA of 183,993 in December of last year, up 3 per cent on November’s 178,222 and the monthly average of 180,542 in the period January-November 2019 (Trucksales.com.au’s December 2019 data is not available from Nielsen DCR). The stellar December 2019 result lifted Bauer Media Group’s combined UA to 2.103 million for the calendar year, just below Trucksales.com.au’s annual UA of 2.169 million. Fuelling Bauer Media Group’s growth was standout performances from OwnerDriver.com.au, up 64 per cent YoY; TradeTrucks.com.au, up 30 per cent YoY; and BusNews.com.au, up 22 per cent YoY.…

It is easy to discount January commercial vehicle sales as representing the traditional slow start to the year that can be ignored as the economy gets its act together. But the month’s figures are the earliest pointer to longer-term trends likely to affect the following 11 months. The headline total figure of 1,852, for example, puts the market just below January 2017’s 1,920 but still solidly above 2016’s 1,584, according to Truck Industry Council (TIC) T-Mark figures. That’s not a patch on the 2018 spike of 2,227 but perhaps indicates a steady glide down is continuing rather than any precipitous drop. Funnily enough, market leader Isuzu replicated 2017’s total of 468 and second-placed Hino was not far off – 211 back then and 218 now, though Fuso undercut its 2017…

So began the transformation from drag truck to burnout truck Let’s all be a little honest with ourselves here, it doesn’t matter how old we are, how young we are, how ‘mature’ we pretend to be, whether we wear a suit or high-vis work gear, whether your mum still packs your lunch or you order a high-priced soy mocha latte chai tea every morning. When you see someone with their foot hard on the brake and the other foot hard on the ‘go’ pedal, you still get a bit of the larrikin, ‘Go on, give her some!’ attitude. The ensuing smoke haze, well that’s just our reward for positive encouragement, right? Well, if you can’t agree then I strongly recommend moving onto the next story because this one involves a…

Without Tracy it wouldn't run – the wheels would fall off They say opposites attract, and that’s certainly the case for Chris and Tracy Penfold when it comes to their interest in trucks. Chris is a third-generation truck tragic. He lives and breathes the big rigs, especially his beloved International variety. He’s got a combined pool room and bar full of memorabilia, which is more or less a shrine to the brand and the industry (as well as family). On the other hand all that Tracy knew about trucks before she teamed up with Chris three years ago was that “they have wheels”. But Tracy is a fast learner and with her business college qualifications now runs the books for D & J Transport’s five vehicles, which include the ute…

It is both a tad sad and somewhat satisfying to sample a small slice of Thailand’s automotive manufacturing industry. In this case, Volvo Group’s highly efficient Thai-Swedish Assembly (TSA) facility in the province of Samutprakarn, little more than an hour’s drive from central Bangkok. Sad, because it is a sharp reminder of the fact that apart from the enduring exceptions of a couple of high-class truck production facilities, namely Volvo Group Australia’s Wacol (Qld) plant and Paccar Australia’s Bayswater (Vic) facility, the Australian automotive manufacturing industry is all but buried. Holden, Ford, Toyota, Mitsubishi. All gone, while on the truck front it’s hard to believe a bountiful manufacturing future awaits a struggling Iveco at its historic, sprawling Dandenong (Vic) premises. On the other hand, satisfying because it demonstrates the profound…

Isuzu was the most-enquired-upon truck make on the Bauer Media Group truck and machinery classifieds network in 2019, exclusive new data reveals. Some 5,400 used trucks – from Atkinsons to Whites – are currently advertised for sale across the network comprising BusNews.com.au, Fullyloaded.com.au, OwnerDriver.com.au, TradeTrucks.com.au, TradeEarthmovers.com.au, TradeFarmMachinery.com, and TradePlantEquipment.com.au – reaching more than 450,000 ‘unique’ in-market buyers in December alone. Isuzu – which comprises just below 17 per cent of total stock for sale – generated 12.29 per cent of total searches and an outsized 21.6 per cent of total enquiries in the 12 months to December 31, 2019. This is well ahead of Kenworth, which generated almost 36 per cent of searches but just 14.6 per cent of enquiries in the period, off the back of 7.98 per cent…

It will be an honour to follow Kye’s truck in the convoy Yes, some of you reading this will already note that the stunning Black Kenworth you’ve been drooling over looks extremely familiar. In fact, you no doubt are even convinced that you have already read the heart-breaking story that goes with the truck. You would be spot on; the Kiama-based T909 was featured in an issue of last year’s magazine. For those that did miss it though I shall give you a bit of a run down on the story. Peter and Sheridan (Shez) Yates are the owners of YATCON, a civil construction company based out of Kiama, NSW. They are also the couple behind this stunning black beauty. While the truck definitely takes your breath away, so does…

it’s always the the people that make or break any show Castlemaine has its fair share of outstanding rigs that support the show There has always been certain things I’ve wanted to accomplish in my life – see a Kiwi win the Bathurst 1000 (several times now), photograph a whale breaching (just the one time), order one thing of every section of a McDonald’s menu just so the server can’t ask, “would you like blah blah with that” (seriously, $48 spent and I forgot friggin’ fries), and spend a weekend experiencing Victoria’s Castlemaine Truck Show. After many years of enjoying the Adtrans-sponsored Castlemaine Truck Show from afar, thanks to the power of social media, I finally had the opportunity to go forth and experience one of Victoria’s best truck shows.…

the economic benefits go beyond the amount of fossil fuel to be saved eCanter is the thin edge of an entirely new era in truck technology In case you haven’t noticed, the world is changing. Fast! Global warming, greenhouse gases, climate change. These are the terms driving the greatest changes of all and it matters little whether you’re a sceptic or a believer, the evolutionary ball is rolling and it won’t be slowing down. Not at all! Certainly, there’s still a long road ahead and no doubt there will be a few bumps, bounces and even economic bruises along the way, but the momentum for change is building and only the naïve and nonsensical can’t or won’t acknowledge it. Ignorance, indifference and vested interests among political powerbrokers and their marketing…

Port Kembla-based AAA Trailers was the most-enquired-upon trailer brand on the Bauer Media Group classifieds network in 2019, exclusive new data reveals. Almost 2,000 trailers – from A-trailers to water tankers – are currently advertised for sale across the network. Hot on AAA’s heels was Queensland-based manufacturer Moore Trailers, which generated 7.31 per cent of enquiries off the back of 17 per cent of total searches and 1.53 per cent of total stock; fellow Queensland manufacturer Drake, which was responsible for 6.46 per cent of enquiries (and 20.25 per cent of searches); and Victorian-based manufacturer Vawdrey, which was the subject of 5.61 per cent of enquiries (and 3.99 per cent of searches). Rounding out the top 10 most-enquired-upon trailer brands for the 2019 year were Krueger (2.13 per cent of…

The old Flintstone got the full tear-down experience It’s often difficult to get across in writing the character of a person without an in-depth, highly-detailed profile being written. There are always exceptions though; certain people that can be summed up with a little anecdote or by reflection of their deeds. And Ken Carratt is one of those people. It’s one little deed, one little invention, that perfectly captures his character. So if you want to know the type of guy Ken is, next time you are at a truck show or historic event and see his stunning 1969 Mack with the big 63-inch Peterbilt sleeper, pop over and have a look. Make sure you are lined up in front of it to truly appreciate the classic Mack lines, and take…

DDT continues to attract thousands of people There’s no better place to see the latest and greatest in heavy equipment, attachments and technology than the 2020 National Diesel Dirt & Turf Expo. Since it was established in 2015, the Diesel Dirt & Turf Expo has been improved year-on-year and continues to attract many thousands of people. This annual opportunity for the industry to show its best at the great Panthers Penrith venue has fast become a favourite for anyone involved in the earthmoving and construction industry. Visitors enjoy meeting and greeting with everyone from small local suppliers right up to key industry players, distributors, technical and engineering staff and many representatives of overseas manufacturing companies. Many exhibitors use the expo to release new models and this makes it an even…

Senior Volvo Group Australia (VGA) executives have confirmed that the Australian introduction of new UD Croner and Quon 8x4 models will go ahead as planned despite the startling announcement in late December of a ‘strategic alliance’ that will see Isuzu acquire UD in its entirety. The ‘Quest for Croner’ feature story which appears here was written long before news of the deal was made public. In the immediate aftermath of the announcement, there was initial speculation that both Croner and the Quon eight-wheeler – both extensively engineered for the Australian market – might fail to see the light of a ‘Down Under’ day. However, our sources have unequivocally stated that Croner will be launched as planned in the third quarter of 2020, followed quickly by the introduction of an impressive…